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UPSC Law Optional Syllabus

by Vajiram & Ravi

UPSC Law Syllabus: Law is one of the optional subjects in the UPSC Civil Services Exam, which has a total of 48 optional subjects to choose from. The law as an optional subject in UPSC Mains consists of two papers with 250 marks each. The UPSC Law Optional Syllabus for Paper 1 is divided into two broad topics - Constitutional and Administrative Law and International Law. UPSC Law Optional Syllabus for Paper 2 is divided into four broad topics - Law of Crimes, Law of Torts, Law of Contracts and Mercantile Law and Contemporary Legal Developments.

What is the UPSC Law Optional Syllabus?

With a weightage of 500 marks in the UPSC Mains Exam, a good score in the UPSC Law optional subject can hold your chances for the UPSC interview. Law, as an optional subject, is typically thought of as being simple and easy to understand. Law has a wealth of available reading material. Studying the Law syllabus will be beneficial for both your UPSC interview and essay. It also has a quite overlapping syllabus for General Studies Papers, thus making it a beneficial optional subject.

UPSC Law Syllabus for Paper 1

The optional paper 1 in the Mains exam consists of questions with 250 marks. Check the Law Syllabus for UPSC Mains Optional Paper 1 below:

Constitutional and Administrative Law

  1. Constitution and Constitutionalism: The distinctive features of the Constitution.
  2. Fundamental Rights—Public interest litigation; Legal Aid; Legal services authority.
  3. Relationship between Fundamental rights, Directive principles and Fundamental duties.
  4. Constitutional Position of the President and relation with the Council of Ministers.
  5. Governor and his powers.
  6. Supreme Court and the High Courts.
    • (a) Appointments and transfers
    • (b) Powers, functions and jurisdiction
  7. Centre, States and Local bodies:
    • (a) Distribution of legislative powers between the Union and the States.
    • (b) Local Bodies
    • (c) Administrative relationship among Union, State and Local Bodies.
    • (d) Eminent domain-State property-common property-community property
  8. Legislative powers, privileges and immunities
  9. Services under the Union and the States:
    • (a) Recruitment and conditions of services; Constitutional safeguards; Administrative tribunals.
    • (b) Union Public Service Commission and State Public Service Commissions—Power and Functions
    • (c) Election Commission—Power and functions.
  10. Emergency provisions.
  11. Amendment of the Constitution.
  12. Principle of Natural Justice—Emerging Trends and Judicial Approach
  13. Delegated legislation and its constitutionality.
  14. Separation of powers and constitutional governance
  15. Judicial review of administrative action.
  16. Ombudsman: Lokayukta, Lokpal etc.

International Law

  1. Nature and Definition of International Law
  2. Relationship between International Law and Municipal Law
  3. State Recognition and State Succession
  4. Law of the sea: Inland Waters, Territorial Sea, Contiguous Zone, Continental Shelf, Exclusive Economic Zone and High Seas
  5. Individuals: Nationality, statelessness; Human Rights and procedures available for their enforcement
  6. Territorial jurisdiction of States, Extradition and Asylum
  7. Treaties: Formation, application, termination and reservation
  8. United Nations: Its principal organs, powers and functions and reform
  9. Peaceful settlement of disputes—different modes
  10. Lawful recourse to force: aggressions, self-defence, intervention
  11. Fundamental principles of international humanitarian law—International conventions and contemporary developments
  12. Legality of the use of nuclear weapons; ban on testing of nuclear weapons; Nuclear non-proliferation treaty, CTST
  13. International Terrorism, State sponsored terrorism, Hijacking, International Criminal Court.
  14. New International Economic Order and Monetary Law: WTO, TRIPS, GATT, IMF, World Bank.
  15. Protection and Improvement of the Human Environment: International Efforts.

UPSC Law Optional Syllabus for Paper 2

The optional paper 2 in the Mains exam consists of questions with 250 marks. Check the Law Syllabus for UPSC Mains Optional Paper 2 below:

Law of Crimes

  1. General principles of Criminal liability: mens rea and actus reus, mens rea in statutory offences.
  2. Kinds of punishment and emerging trends as to abolition of capital punishment.
  3. Preparations and criminal attempt.
  4. General exceptions.
  5. Joint and constructive liability.
  6. Abetment.
  7. Criminal conspiracy. 
  8. Offences against the State.
  9. Offences against public tranquility.
  10. Offences against human body
  11. Offences against property.
  12. Offences against women.
  13. Defamation.
  14. Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
  15. Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 and subsequent legislative developments.
  16. Plea bargaining. 

Law of Torts

  1. Nature and definition.
  2. Liability based upon fault and strict liability; Absolute liability.
  3. Vicarious liability including State Liability.
  4. General defences.
  5. Joint tort fessors.
  6. Remedies
  7. Negligence.
  8. Defamation.
  9. Nuisance.
  10. Conspiracy.
  11. False imprisonment.
  12. Malicious prosecution.
  13. Consumer Protection Act, 1986.

Law of Contracts and Mercantile Law

  1. Nature and formation of contract/E-contract.
  2. Factors vitiating free consent.
  3. Void, voidable, illegal and unenforceable agreements.
  4. Performance and discharge of contracts.
  5. Quasi-contracts.
  6. Consequences of breach of contract.
  7. Contract of indemnity, guarantee and insurance.
  8. Contract of agency.
  9. Sale of goods and hire purchase.
  10. Formation and dissolution of partnership.
  11. Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.
  12. Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996.
  13. Standard form contracts. 

Contemporary Legal Developments

  1. Public Interest Litigation.
  2. Intellectual property rights—Concept, types/prospects.
  3. Information Technology Law including Cyber Laws—Concept, purpose/prospects.
  4. Competition Law—Concept, purpose/prospects.
  5. Alternate Dispute Resolution—Concept, types/prospects.
  6. Major statutes concerning environmental law.
  7. Right to Information Act.
  8. Trial by media.

How to Prepare Law Syllabus for UPSC?

If prepared well, Law as an optional subject is easy to understand. For the preparation of the UPSC law optional syllabus, the following points should be taken into consideration.

  • In order to successfully prepare for any exam, including the UPSC Law Optional Exam, it is imperative to comprehend the syllabus. The syllabus provides an overview of the subjects and topics that will be covered in the actual exam, which helps you plan your study strategy.
  • Current affairs hold importance in the preparation of Law. By going through the syllabus, the aspirants should apply essential current topics in the study of Law. Therefore, reading newspapers and journals of law is of immense importance.
  • Going through important case laws is of immense importance. Study those judgements for a comprehensive understanding of the subject.
  • Revise the class notes as well as self-study notes so that reinforcing of concepts and syllabus and thus overall subject happens again and again.
  • Going through the UPSC previous year's question papers on Law will give you an idea about the importance of topics. It will also help you understand how to write mains answers.
  • One should have a continuous answer-writing practice. It will help to develop speed as well as cross-conceptual understanding.
  • Standard Books and Material:
    • Indian Constitutional Law by MP Jain
    • Administrative Law by IP Massey
    • International Law by Malcolm Shaw
    • International Law by SK Kapoor
    • Starke’s International Law by JG Starke
    • Textbook on IPC by KD Gaur
    • Law of Torts by RK Bangia
    • Law of Contract & Specific Relief by Avtar Singh
    • The Constitution of India (Bare Act) by PM Bakshi
    • Jurisprudence (Legal Theory) by B.N. Mani Tripathi
    • Bare Acts

Important Topics in UPSC Law Syllabus

Though each topic in Law is important, a few topics listed below are regularly asked in the exam.

  • Constitution and Constitutionalism
  • Fundamental Rights
  • Relationship between Fundamental rights, Directive principles and Fundamental duties.
  • Supreme Court and the High Courts
  • Centre, States and local bodies
  • Services under the Union and the States
  • Emergency provisions
  • Principle of Natural Justice—Emerging Trends and Judicial Approach
  • Nature and Definition of International Law
  • Law of the sea
  • Territorial jurisdiction of States, Extradition and Asylum
  • United Nations
  • Fundamental principles of international humanitarian law
  • New International Economic Order and Monetary Law
  • General principles of Criminal liability
  • Preparations and criminal attempt
  • Offences against the State
  • Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988
  • Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955
  • Law of Torts - Nature and definition
  • Consumer Protection Act, 1986
  • Law of Contracts and Mercantile Law
  • Public Interest Litigation
  • Competition Law
  • Alternate Dispute Resolution
  • Right to Information Act
  • Trial by media
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